The Disembodied Hand

Date: 2021-10-10

Audience: GV Corps

Title: The Disembodied Hand

Text: Daniel 5

Proposition: Faith in anything but God is useless

Purpose: Trust in God alone

Daniel 5:1-4 (NRSV) 1 King Belshazzar made a great festival for a thousand of his lords, and he was drinking wine in the presence of the thousand. 2 Under the influence of the wine, Belshazzar commanded that they bring in the vessels of gold and silver that his father Nebuchadnezzar had taken out of the temple in Jerusalem, so that the king and his lords, his wives, and his concubines might drink from them. 3 So theybrought in the vessels of gold and silver that had been taken out of the temple, the house of God in Jerusalem, and the king and his lords, his wives, and his concubines drank from them. 4 They drank the wine and praised the gods of gold and silver, bronze, iron, wood, and stone.

Belshazzar = son of Nabonidus, King of Babylon.

Bel was Regent, Father still ruled

Story takes place in mid-Oct of 539 BC (2,560 years ago this week)

In the week leading up to this story, combined invading force of Medes and Persians had come near to Babylon (the city). They had taken Opis, city 50 miles north. Then in the next day or two, Sippar, about 35 miles north.

Nabonidus had commanded at Opis but had fled with what he could salvage of his army when the city fell.

But Belzhazzar was confident Babylon would stand. It was a fortress surrounded by high walls and high water, with water running fast around and even through the city. Anyone coming in would be washed away before they could assault giant stone walls.

Most important: Babylonian conceit: As powerful nation, they believed their gods were stronger than those of their enemies. Nothing to fear.

A thousand nobles – perhaps those fleeing from the enemy?

Banquet might have been a morale boost. Might have been to celebrate a religious festival – one occurred at that time of that month. Might have been both. Or neither. Could have just been a moment of narcissism. Showing off harem is ego boost. Also sign that debauchery is underway – perhaps ritual ceremonies to celebrate or awake the gods.

Whatever, big party. King usually screened away, but not tonight. Tonight, he’s DRUNK. Seriously. VERY drunk.

Orders slaves to bring in vessels captured from Israel’s Temple in Jerusalem.

Gold and silver sacred objects. Described in 1 Kings 7. Not like taking out Grandma’s china or using fancy wine glasses.

10 basins, 1 “sea”. Each basin held about 230 gallons. The sea was an enormous piece of furniture like a portable swimming pool 7.5’ x 15’. Filled properly, held 11,500 gallons. Filled to the top: about 17,000.

Some smaller dishes too, buckets and dippers and probably some kinds of pitchers, but if the point was to demonstrate Babylon’s power by showing what they had taken, it was a dramatic way to do so.

Use of sacred items was usually avoided. Superstition kept people from getting too close to the things of gods. This might have been intentional blasphemy. Perhaps thought he would show power of Babylon to be greater than that of their enemies by thumbing nose at their gods – or, in this case, at the LORD God.

Bad call.

Daniel 5:5-6 (NRSV) 5 Immediately the fingers of a human hand appeared and began writing on the plaster of the wall of the royal palace, next to the lampstand. The king was watching the hand as it wrote. 6 Then the king's face turned pale, and his thoughts terrified him. His limbs gave way, and his knees knocked together.

[Picture]

IMMEDIATELY

At height of debauchery, at peak of sacrilege, this thing occurred.

Hand, floating, unattached.

Carving letters into the wall.

And only Bel sees it.

Turned pale – terrified.

Lit: Joints shook! = collapse in terror or even bowels release

Next verse says, “cried aloud”, but lit is screamed with strength – screamed out loud.

Daniel 5:7-9 (NRSV) 7 The king cried aloud to bring in the enchanters, the Chaldeans, and the diviners; and the king said to the wise men of Babylon, "Whoever can read this writing and tell me its interpretation shall be clothed in purple, have a chain of gold around his neck, and rank third in the kingdom." 8 Then all the king's wise men came in, but they could not read the writing or tell the king the interpretation. 9 Then King Belshazzar became greatly terrified and his face turned pale, and his lords were perplexed.

Only King saw hand, but apparently all can see words. Why not read?

Aramaic, like Hebrew = consonants only, little or no spacing, no punctuation.

Could have been 9 letters in a string, looking like nonsense to anyone but those fluent in the language and familiar with the way it works.

Reward offered is the things which matter to Bel, things he puts faith in:

Purple cloth: Wealth (value of purple cloth in those days)

Chain of Gold: Status (insignia of office)

Third in Kingdom: Power!

Daniel 5:10-12 (NRSV) 10 The queen, when she heard the discussion of the king and his lords, came into the banqueting hall. The queen said, "O king, live forever! Do not let your thoughts terrify you or your face grow pale. 11 Thereis a man in your kingdom who is endowed with a spirit of the holy gods. In the days of your father he was found to have enlightenment, understanding, and wisdom like the wisdom of the gods. Your father, King Nebuchadnezzar, made him chief of the magicians, enchanters, Chaldeans, and diviners, 12 because an excellent spirit, knowledge, and understanding to interpret dreams, explain riddles, and solve problems were found in this Daniel, whom the king named Belteshazzar. Now let Daniel be called, and he will give the interpretation."

Queen mother – ranking personage, wife of king – Bel’s mom (or step-mom, I didn’t really dig into Babylonian royal familial connections too deeply)

Daniel 5:13-16 (NRSV) 13 Then Daniel was brought in before the king. The king said to Daniel, "So you are Daniel, one of the exiles of Judah, whom my father the king brought from Judah? 14 I have heard of you that a spirit of the gods is in you, and that enlightenment, understanding, and excellent wisdom are found in you. 15 Now the wise men, the enchanters, have been brought in before me to read this writing and tell me its interpretation, but they were not able to give the interpretation of the matter. 16 But I have heard that you can give interpretations and solve problems. Now if you are able to read the writing and tell me its interpretation, you shall be clothed in purple, have a chain of gold around your neck, and rank third in the kingdom."

Going to give you three things you can really put your faith in: Wealth, status, and power!

Daniel 5:17 (NRSV) 17 Then Daniel answered in the presence of the king, "Let your gifts be for yourself, or give your rewards to someone else! Nevertheless I will read the writing to the king and let him know the interpretation.

Daniel is not interested. – Puts his faith in God.

Tells a story to remind Belshazzar that he should too.

Daniel 5:18-19 (NRSV) 18 O king, the Most High God gave your father Nebuchadnezzar kingship, greatness, glory, and majesty. 19 And because of the greatness that he gave him, all peoples, nations, and languages trembled and feared before him. He killed those he wanted to kill, kept alive those he wanted to keep alive, honored those he wanted to honor, and degraded those he wanted to degrade.

Daniel 5:20-21 (NRSV) 20 But when his heart was lifted up and his spirit was hardened so that he acted proudly, he was deposed from his kingly throne, and his glory was stripped from him. 21 He was driven from human society, and his mind was made like that of an animal. His dwelling was with the wild asses, he was fed grass like oxen, and his body was bathed with the dew of heaven, until he learned that the Most High God has sovereignty over the kingdom of mortals, and sets over it whomever he will.

Daniel 5:22-23 (NRSV) 22 And you, Belshazzar his son, have not humbled your heart, even though you knew all this! 23 You have exalted yourself against the Lord of heaven! The vessels of his temple have been brought in before you, and you and your lords, your wives and your concubines have been drinking wine from them. You have praised the gods of silver and gold, of bronze, iron, wood, and stone, which do not see or hear or know; but the God in whose power is your very breath, and to whom belong all your ways, you have not honored.

Daniel 5:24-28 (NRSV) 24 "So from his presence the hand was sent and this writing was inscribed. 25 And this is the writing that was inscribed: mene, mene, tekel, and parsin. 26 This is the interpretation of the matter: mene, God has numbered the days of your kingdom and brought it to an end; 27 tekel, you have been weighed on the scales and found wanting; 28 peres, your kingdom is divided and given to the Medes and Persians."

Mene (men-ay) = weight of 60 shekels (50 in Palestine)

Tekel (tuh-call) = shekel = base unit of weight, but word was used to mean weighing something on a scale

Peres (peh-rahs) = Divided

Interesting to note: Babylonian astrology linked the month this occurred to constellation “The Scales” (now Libra). That constellation appeared in the middle of the Babylonian month “Teshrit” (October, to us) which seems to mean that it made its first full appearance for the year that night or the next. That constellation, “The Scales,” was called Tekel.

So the unreadable message, translated by what we know and what Daniel says, could be read to say:

Counted, numbered, and weighed; at The Scales your kingdom will be divided.

Daniel 5:29-31 (NRSV) 29 Then Belshazzar gave the command, and Daniel was clothed in purple, a chain of gold was put around his neck, and a proclamation was made concerning him that he should rank third in the kingdom. 30 That very night Belshazzar, the Chaldean king, was killed. 31 And Darius the Mede received the kingdom, being about sixty-two years old.

Why Bel would follow through – decree = unchangeable law

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What Bel DIDN’T do = repent

Nebu did. Took seven years of living as a cow, but he got it.

Daniel 4:34-35 (NRSV) 34 When that period was over, I, Nebuchadnezzar, lifted my eyes to heaven, and my reason returned to me. I blessed the Most High, and praised and honored the one who lives forever. For his sovereignty is an everlasting sovereignty, and his kingdom endures from generation to generation. 35 All the inhabitants of the earth are accounted as nothing, and he does what he wills with the host of heaven and the inhabitants of the earth. There is no one who can stay his hand or say to him, "What are you doing?"

Daniel 4:36-37 (NRSV) 36 At that time my reason returned to me; and my majesty and splendor were restored to me for the glory of my kingdom. My counselors and my lords sought me out, I was re-established over my kingdom, and still more greatness was added to me. 37 Now I, Nebuchadnezzar, praise and extol and honor the King of heaven, for all his works are truth, and his ways are justice; and he is able to bring low those who walk in pride.

Could Belshazzar have turned to God and been saved?

ABSOLUTELY!

Would that have saved his kingdom? I can’t say, but I can point to places and times where those kind of miracles have followed true repentance – where someone has put their trust in God alone.

You may not get a disembodied hand reaching out to you.

God doesn’t do anything the same way twice.

It may be that this moment in time, hearing this story for the first time or the hundredth, is when the message has come to you.

In every life there is a time when we will find that we have been counted for the things we have done, our days have been numbered, and we are going to be weighed on the Scaled of Justice. Will that be a day to fear, or will that be a day of gratitude, because we know that Jesus has taken our place on those scales?

That’s part of the offer he makes to each of us…

Will you put your trust in him? Trust in God alone? Or will you trust in your own ideas of wealth, status, and power?

Wrap, pray